31:1 When all this was over, the Israelites who were in the cities of Judah went out and smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and demolished all the high places and altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. Then all the Israelites returned to their own homes in their cities.
After the Passover week was doubled in celebration, the Israelites went through the cities of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh and destroyed the idols. The two latter cities were in Assyrian territory at this time, so this took some courage.
31:2 Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and Levites to do their assigned tasks—to offer burnt sacrifices and present offerings and to serve, give thanks, and offer praise in the gates of the Lord’s sanctuary.
After King Ahaz (Hezekiah’s father) shut down the temple services, the Levites and priests were without a job. Hezekiah appointed the Levites and priests back into office so that their God-given duties could be performed in Judah.
31:3 The king contributed some of what he owned for burnt sacrifices, including the morning and evening burnt sacrifices and the burnt sacrifices made on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other appointed times prescribed in the law of the Lord.
All of these burnt offerings pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jehovah wanted His children of Israel to understand the effects of sin and the atonement that was required of a holy God. The chosen people were required at least once a year to watch a priest slit the throat of an innocent animal in order to atone for the family’s sins. This atonement ritual was gory and bloody, but the graphic reality of the ritual was a powerful teaching tool about the effects of sin that the family never forgot.
31:4 He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to contribute the portion prescribed for the priests and Levites so they might be obedient to the law of the Lord.
The people were supposed to support the priests and Levites with their offerings and temple taxes. In return, the Levites would teach, administer the temple rituals, and judge the court cases of Israel.
In the local church, the responsibility of the pastor-teacher is to study and teach the congregation at the deepest level. The responsibility of the congregation is to support their pastor-teacher so that he can study more often and teach the deeper truths of Scripture. Most congregations do not want their bible teachers teaching at a very deep level. They prefer milk instead of the deep truths of the Word of God. Most Christians will choose a shallow-teaching, seeker-friendly church over an expository church. Most Christian students are too lazy to study the Bible at the deepest level. The pastor-teacher needs to teach at the deepest level and pray that God will send mature students of the Word of God to the congregation.
5 When the edict was issued, the Israelites freely contributed the initial portion of their grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a tenth of everything, which added up to a huge amount.
This tithe was re-instituted. Levites no longer had to work for a living. They could now study and teach the Scriptures. Revival cannot happen without deep bible teaching.
31:6 The Israelites and people of Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also contributed a tenth of their cattle and sheep, as well as a tenth of the holy items consecrated to the Lord their God. They brought them and placed them in many heaps.
The Mosaic Law required the people of Israel to pay three tithes so that they could support their Levitical teachers and priesthood. Malachi told the people that those who did not pay the tithe were robbing God. The first tithe was to support the Levitical teachers and priests. The second tithe was to support the temple. The third tithe was collected every three years for the poor. The Israel annual tithe was about 23.3% of the family’s income.
The tithe is no longer in effect in the modern church. The believer is to give by grace-giving. Those under the Mosaic Law gave, because it was required. The New Testament believer gives, because he loves the Lord Jesus Christ.
The “Israelites and the people of Judah” prove that there were no lost tribes of Israel. Many of the messianic believers from the ten northern tribes moved to Judah and worshiped the one true God. For example, during the days of the Lord Jesus Christ, Anna was from the tribe of Asher.
31:7 In the third month they began piling their contributions in heaps and finished in the seventh month.
The people of Israel continued their generous giving for five consecutive months. They were hungry for the Word of God. They wanted to support the Levitical priests, so that they could once again hear the Word of God.
31:8 When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and pronounced blessings on his people Israel.
Hezekiah and the leaders of Israel were greatly impressed with the amount of gifts which were given. Spiritual revival increases giving, because more people want to spread what they have learned about God.
31:9 When Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps, 31:10 Azariah, the head priest from the family of Zadok, said to him, “Since the contributions began arriving in the Lord’s temple, we have had plenty to eat and have a large quantity left over. For the Lord has blessed his people, and this large amount remains.”
The Levitical priests were supplied with everything that they needed. They could now concentrate on studying and teaching the Word of God.
31:11 Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the Lord’s temple. When this was done,12 they brought in the contributions, tithes, and consecrated items that had been offered. Konaniah, a Levite, was in charge of all this, assisted by his brother Shimei. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah worked under the supervision of Konaniah and his brother Shimei, as directed by King Hezekiah and Azariah, the supervisor of God’s temple. 14 Kore son of Imnah, a Levite and the guard on the east side, was in charge of the voluntary offerings made to God and disbursed the contributions made to the Lord and the consecrated items. 15 In the cities of the priests, Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah faithfully assisted him in making disbursements to their fellow priests according to their divisions, regardless of age.
There was so much giving, that storerooms and staff had to be added to the government payroll.
31:16 They made disbursements to all the males three years old and up who were listed in the genealogical records—to all who would enter the Lord’s temple to serve on a daily basis and fulfill their duties as assigned to their divisions.
The children of the Levites were trained and cared for by the donations of the people.
31:17 They made disbursements to the priests listed in the genealogical records by their families, and to the Levites twenty years old and up, according to their duties as assigned to their divisions, 31:18 and to all the infants, wives, sons, and daughters of the entire assembly listed in the genealogical records, for they faithfully consecrated themselves. 31:19 As for the descendants of Aaron, the priests who lived in the outskirts of all their cities, men were assigned to disburse portions to every male among the priests and to every Levite listed in the genealogical records.
The families of the Levitical priests were also supported by the people.
31:20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what the Lord his God considered good and right and faithful.
King Hezekiah led the biggest revival in Israeli history.
31:21 He wholeheartedly and successfully reinstituted service in God’s temple and obedience to the law, in order to follow his God.
Bible teaching, temple rituals, and temple repairs were all reinstituted during Hezekiah’s reign. Hezekiah was a great religious and political leader. When comparing Hezekiah to modern political leaders, the modern electorate attempts to separate these two key attributes of a leader, but they cannot be separated. Either the electorate votes for a politician who serves God, or the electorate votes for a politician who serves Satan. There is no middle ground. God will not allow anyone to compromise with the Word of God.